Archive for the Magazines Category


Rakuen Le Paradis, Volume 10 (楽園 Le Paradis)

November 8th, 2012

While not unexpected, Rakuen Le Paradis, Volume 10 (楽園 Le Paradis) was full of some fabulous stuff. What is always unexpected is the stuff  to which my reaction is “eewwwww.”

For a magazine that has several of my absolute favorite series, by several of my favorite artists, it amazes me how many series it also has which instill in me a violent loathing. Kinda cool, huh? This is a magazine that is utterly unafraid of extremes. For every “Collectors” there’s something utterly vile by Rendou Kurosaki. (And this issue was particularly horrid.) For every miserable, creepy chapter of “Nisemono Honeytrap” there’s a refreshingly realistic chapter of “Kakera no Omoi.”

Reading a volume of Rakuen Le Paradise is a bit bipolar – “Yay!” “Boo!” “Yay!” “Boo!” At least I’m never bored!

Overall – 8

But seriously, this issue’s Kurosaki story was just nasty.





Yuri Manga: Comic Yuri Hime, November 2012 (コミック百合姫)

November 5th, 2012

Rather than run down each story with a quick synopsis today, I really want to just say this about  the November 2012 issue of Comic Yuri Hime (コミック百合姫):

This was quite possibly the most amazing volume of Comic Yuri Hime ever published.

Story after story, I found myself saying, “Wow, what a weird/unusual/unique story.” From the cover, which was a story of its own, a departure from the normal cover art, to a high school Yuri version of Well of Loneliness to a relationship in a war-torn country, to black magic-advice-offering goat-headed net idols, almost no story did what I expected it to do. My eyebrows spent a great deal of time pushed way up toward my hairline.

If you haven’t been reading Comic Yuri Hime, get this volume. It’s half insane, half carefully calulated to sell stuff, and surprisingly out of the normal.

Hot damn.

Ratings:

Overall – 10





Yuri Manga: Salomelic (さろめりっく)

October 23rd, 2012

Like most transfer students, Salome is trailed by rumor, innuendo and scandal. In conjunction with her dark, gothic image and her lonely expression, this makes her a target. In  Salomelic, from Hirari Comics, Salome is indeed a melancholic character.

The rumors say that Salome is a witch, that she uses magic to cheat on her grades and that *something* – what exactly, no one is sure – caused her to move from her former school. As with most lives, the reality is a bit tamer…Salome moves around a lot because her mother is a fortune-teller who leaves town after her love affairs fall apart. Oh, but Salome is a witch.

Salome is befriended by the allegorically named Hikari, who brings light into her dark life. As they grow closer, Hikari is rejected by her old friends, but it all gets patched up after a bit. Salome is happy using her magic making chocolates for Hikari and her friends, but nothing stays the same for long. Salome’s feelings for Hikari are not just “friendship” and she appears to be losing her magic…and to add insult to injury, her mother wants to move again!

Even typing all this out, it is a tad exhausting. Hakamada Mera has squeezed in all of her pet plot complications, making Salomelic into a bit of a rushed mess. But of course, in the end, everyone lives happily ever after – and kind of nicely, even after happily ever after. ^_^

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 7
Character – 7
Yuri – 6
Service – 1

Overall – 7

I’m never honestly sure if I’m being extra hard on Hakamada-sensei or if I really think she has something special in her that we just haven’t seen. I’m going to presume its the latter and hold out for a story by her written with some real conviction and passion. ^_^





Yuri Manga: Comic Yuri Hime (コミック百合姫) September 2012

September 11th, 2012

September’s Comic Yuri Hime (コミック百合姫) starts off with a shock! moment for the characters of Namori’s cover story. This is followed by color page after color page singing the praises of the new Yuru Yuri anime, goods, manga, goods, CDs and goods.

Ohsawa Yayoi’s “Double Bind” was a pretty awesome throwback to the old days of doujinshi by lesbians for a strictly lesbian audience. It has the angst level of of a story by Ang (who, I one day hope to see suddenly pop up out of the woodwork again.) A relationship ends, re-starts and ends once more only to start again, fresh.

“Rock It Girl” comes to a climax, but not the last one. Happily this story will get at least one more, and perhaps a few more chapters after that. I’m so pleased that it hasn’t been cut off just as it’s beginning to get on a roll.

“Love Gene XX” also comes to a climax, as well. Momiji confesses her feelings to Aoi who is suddenly thunderstruck with the obvious about her feelings for Sakura. Aoi runs off to the mountain woods and, as a real thunderstorm starts, Sakura runs off after her. Will Erika-sama be wiling to sacrifice her own fiance’ in order to get revenge against Aoi? Who knows….

Kazuma Kowo’s “Namae ha mada nai” is her very typical play of facial expressions, body language and simple words as a backdrop to a play of emotions that belies the simplicity with which it is presented. Neither we nor the main character understands, yet, what the unnamed honor student has in mind.

Kanana and Shiroyuki are wracked with doubts, but poignant and sweet advice from Sumi and Kinana saves the day in Miyamoto Hisanori’s “Fu~Fu.”

As Fueko and Asuna’s relationship falls apart, we learn about how it began in Amano Syuninta’s “Watashi no Sekhai o Kousei Suru Gomi no You na Nanika”.

Kiss marks are the topic of the day in “Leave Hickey” by Takemiya Jin.

And it looks like Kimiko’s story is coming to a close in Morishima Akiko’s “Renai Joshi Tantei File.”

There are many, many other stories in this volume, tear-jerkers, 4-panel gags and Story A galore, for readers of many interests.

Ratings:

Overall – 8





Yuri Invades JManga (Again!) With Yuru Yuri

August 23rd, 2012

In the 1960s the British Invasion was led by the Beatles, in the 2000s, the Manga Invasion was led by Tokyopop and in the 2010s, the Yuri Invasion is led by JManga and ALC Publishing!

Today on JManga, namori-sensei’s hit manga series from the pages of Comic Yuri Hime, Yuru Yuri lands with the kind of splash that only 4 girls sitting around doing absolutely nothing could provide! (Judges’ score: 10 out of 10 for having fun)

For fans of Yuru Yuri, there is a contest quiz – answer questions that show your knowledge of the series and be entered to win prizes and great fame. ^_^

And last, (but not least, because I wrote it,, so don’t forget to tell JManga how awesome it is, ^_^) JManga’s Poi Poi features an essay I wrote about the Yuri publishing landscape in Japan from 2003-2012, called The Yuri Scene in Japan 2003 – 2012. Enjoy!

More Yuri manga will be coming in the days ahead and more promotional fun from JManga, Ichijinsha and ALC Publishing!